A Taste of Smoke
by romancegeek
Summary: Draco can't leave Hogwarts and Ginny has changed. Both are looking to relieve boredom. Who better to spicy up one's life than a life-long enemy?
1. Default Chapter

The telegram came in the middle of a particularly boring Care of Magical Creatures class. It was short and concise. Really, the only surprise it contained was the time it was delivered. Draco figured the owl could have waited until the morning, it made no difference, but Lucius Malfoy always did have a penchant towards dramatic settings.

_Leaving the Manor with your mother. Stay at Hogwarts until I call for you._

Draco read the two lines; crumpled up the missive and sneered at his classmates as if to say "Don't you wish you knew what the Great Draco is up to? Well, I won't deign to tell you." (In fact, that was more or less what Draco was saying in his head.) No one dared question him after that, at least publicly. After classes, Pansy did try various methods of finding out, some more socially acceptable than others, but if a Malfoy did not want you to know what was going on, not even the best placed mouth could distract him.

There were several reasons for his silence. First of all, for all the wizarding world knew, his father was still in Azkaban and had been since the end of Draco's fifth year. Actually, Voldemort had arranged his father's escape sometime early in Draco's sixth year and Lucius had been hiding in the Manor since then. Really, it didn't really matter if his fellow Slytherins knew of this escape, but Draco did not feel like sharing that information. He was a Malfoy, they do not answer to anyone they do not want to. So Malfoy stayed silent about the telegram and life went on as normal. There was no reason not to. It did not matter where his parents were; he was still at Hogwarts, at least until June.

Draco was sure that a summons would come before he graduated. After all, where would he go after school? Staying around Hogwarts would be exceedingly boring and pointless. Plus, after he graduated the Dark Lord could really use his services. He could already Apparate, all he needed were his NEWTS and he was a certified wizard. Moreover, his family was in the top rung of Voldemort's circle. He had worked hard to prove himself worthy, this year more so than any other he may actually beat the mudblood Granger in Potions. It could be said, if Malfoys ever admitted impatience, that Draco was impatient to join his father, but Malfoys never admitted impatience.

Therefore, when the summoms had not come by graduation, Draco was slightly surprised. Yet Draco was not worried, he was sure that day he would. The Hogwarts Express left the next day so there was still time. Draco graduated with a smirk on his face, certain that soon he would have more power than most of classmates even dreamed of. He was not disappointed, an owl did arrive for Draco that night as every house was celebrating the last night before vacation. Draco calmly took the letter from an unknown owl as every Slytherin covertly stared while trying not to look like they were interested. Draco's reaction was typically Malfoyish, which means he showed none, at least not initially. Soon after reading the letter, Draco excused himself to go to his room, his private Slytherin Head Boy room. The second telegram was very like the first one, short and to the point.

_Congratulations on graduating. We are not ready. Stay at Hogwarts._

To say that Draco was mad is an understatement. He was furious. He hated the castle and the professors and the grounds and the students and... everything. He did not want to stay here all summer while the rest of his peers, if he could call them that, were off having fun. Even bloody Potter was going to have fun. He had overheard Potty, Weasel, and Mudblood talking about their summers and sounded suspiciously happy. At least Draco would never have to deal with them again. That would be too much to bear and really too much to ask. Now all Draco had to do was to figure out how to amuse himself at Hogwarts over the summer.

Summer at Hogwarts was just as boring as Draco had predicted. He mainly spent time flying around the Quidditch pitch, not that he did anything different at home. There was one perk to living at Hogwarts as apposed to studying there: he could roam the castle and grounds without supervision. Filch could not touch him. Just to spite Filch, he liked to wander the halls late at night, or at least he liked to think it was to spite Filch. He would never admit to himself that he wandered the halls because he could not sleep and when he did his sleep was filled with restless dreams that usually involved him attacking his father. Not sleeping was a weakness and Malfoys do not show weaknesses. Plus those dreams were absurd. Why would Draco want to attack his father? His father was doing his duty to his Master and family. Draco was still needed, just not at this time. It was the influence of the Gryffindor loving Dumbledore that was getting to him.

Every morning Draco ate in an empty Great Hall. Most of the professors had gone for the summer. Dumbledore remained but was often absent. Draco imagined his Headmaster, _former_ Headmaster, was off coddling his precious Potty. Snape also remained but was absent as well. Draco never really liked the head of his house, there was no reason to. Yes, Snape was a Death Eater, but something was off. He did follow Dumbledore during the year which was very suspicious according to his father. McGonagall was about as well, but much less. Even when the professors were around, Draco got up much later than them, so he never saw them. Dumbledore tried to talk to Draco every once in a while but Draco dismissed him. What was the point? His father was going to send for him very soon.

Draco found out that he could not ignore his former Headmaster forever one morning as he came down to Breakfast. Draco was used to seeing only one place set for him. This morning he saw his place but across from it was Dumbledore. At first Draco just ignored this intrusion yet Dumbledore seemed to have no inclination of leaving. Draco's curiosity finally got the better of him.

"What do you want Professor?"

"We should talk about your position here for the new school year. I'm sure you realize the students will be returning soon (Draco in fact realized no such thing.) and while you are invited to stay here as long as necessary, you should have a purpose."

"If you think I am going to teach snot nosed brats about anything you are mistaken," sneered Draco.

"Actually I thought that since you were Head Boy and know the castle well you could aid us in patrolling. You could become Hogwarts' Deputy Head Boy. Your job as the Deputy Head Boy is to be in charge of the Head Boy and Girl and Prefects. You coordinate their patrols and they report to you. You can report to Professor McGonagall if anything truly needs our attention, but in most cases you will have last say."

"I suppose I could do that," said Draco reluctantly. _"At least until my father summons me," _he thought.

"Good," says Dumbledore with his eyes twinkling, "Now I do believe there is a snitch waiting to be caught." With that, Dunbledore excused himself from the table and walked sedately out of the Great Hall.

_"Meddling old dodder,"_ thought Draco. _"I can't wait to get out of here."_


	2. The Sorting Feast

About three days after Dumbledore had his morning talk with Draco, Draco had another shock when he went down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Suddenly it seemed that there were millions of people in the Hall. Actually it was more like fifty but after seeing the Hall empty for so long, any more than three people in it seemed a lot to Draco. The Professors had come back to Hogwarts. Draco nodded to his former Professors and made his way to old seat at the Slytherin table. Surprisingly, there was not a place set for him. Draco frowned at the incompetence of the House Elves when he heard a discrete cough. He looked up to see Dumbledore twinkling at him. "As a staff, I thought to would be best if you sat up with us," explained the Headmaster.

Draco just gaped at him or would have if Malfoys were allowed to show surprise. Instead he just calmly walked up to the dais and sneered, challenging anyone to comment on his blunder. No one did, in fact no one really paid any attention to Draco. This did not bother Draco much, he did not want to speak to anyone and he was used to silent meals. Idle conversation was not something you did at Malfoy family dinners. Draco just attached his sneer firmly on his face and continued to eat.

Unbeknownst to Draco, he was being watch by both Dumbledore and Snape. Neither of the professors were very sure about Draco's new place in Hogwarts or how he would react to it. Hogwarts had never been put in this position of harboring a former student against his will. Neither professor knew why Draco was staying but they did know he did not want to be there, he never did.

The last day before the students came back to Hogwarts was a rather full day for Draco. He had to move his affairs into a new room, which was larger but still part of the Slytherin dungeons. Actually, Draco had a choice where he wanted to live and the dungeons were the least repulsive of the choices. Then he had to go meet with Dumbledore and Filch to learn of his new duties. For what Draco could tell, his new duties consisted of drawing up patrol schedules and enforcing it, dealing with the students who were caught, patrolling the grounds, and making sure no prefect was abusing the power he or she was given. Draco thought the last stipulation was idiotic but he didn't have to enforce it if he did not want to, he was in charge.

The next day, Hogwarts fairly hummed with excitement. Everyone was scurrying around trying to get the castle ready for the students. Even the ghosts were excited. Peeves made his mark by annoying every single person in the castle including the House Elves. Draco wandered around observing all the bustle. He did not have much to do that day except make up the patrol list. He had a lot of fun making the Gryffindor prefects patrol on the weekends and most of the other not so enjoyable days. Of course, this list was only for September and eventually all the prefects from all the houses would have to patrol on weekends, but it was still fun to torment the Gryffs.

The day seemed to slip away without any control. Sooner than Draco would have liked, it was time for the Sorting Feast. Draco took his seat at end of the dais and looked out on the Hogwarts student body. It wasn't as if he didn't know most of the students, he was only a year ahead of the seventh years. He knew the exact moment every student became aware of his presence. They would glace up at the dais, their eyes idly wandering over the professors. They would glance back once or twice at the new DADA professor, but every student was used to having a new DADA professor. Their eyes would continue to wander down the row until they reached where Draco was sitting. Their leisurely perusal would stop and their glances would slide directly back to their table, as if they were afraid to look at Draco directly. Then they would start whispering to their friends, wondering why Draco Malfoy was back at Hogwarts. There was one notable exception that Draco noticed. He expected his presence to cause a huge ruckus at the Gryffindor table lead by the Weasleys, or the one Weasley left this year. Instead, the littlest Weasley simply glanced over at Draco, raised an eyebrow and went back to talking with Colin Creevey about Merlin knows what. To tell the truth, Draco was slightly disappointed about the Gryffindors reaction to his presence, or lack of reaction. _"They probably have lost all their Gryffindor courage now that Potty's gone,"_ thought Draco, sending a sneer their way.

At that moment, McGonagall sent in the first years for the Sorting Ceremony. Draco had always liked the Sorting Ceremony, the songs alone provided fodder for his renowned wit, that and the idiotic antics of the first years. Really, their fear of the stupid hat was ridiculous. McGonagall gave her customary pre-hat speech, the one that never changed. Then the Hat started in on his song.

"_Here we go,"_ thought Draco.

You think I am old and dusty

But don't be confused

Even though I may smell musty

_(Really, one would think he spent the year balled up in a corner. Disgusting.)_

I can still be used.

The Founders made me with a plan

It is up to me in which House you'll land

And what wonderful four friend they were

Until they started to disband.

What a silly fight it was

And hurt all involved.

_(Oh boo hoo, I bet the Puffs paid him to put that in. I am sure Salazaar was not "hurt" "overjoyed" is more like it. I would be.)_

Yet I believe without a doubt

All this can be solved.

Just listen to the House values

And forget the past.

Listen to me when I sort you.

I warn you, I will not be sassed.

_(Who knew, the Hat has a personality!)_

First there was Helga

With her smile so bright

She was loyal to the end

And could never stand a fight.

_(Poor sod)_

The students that go to Hufflepuff

Are loyal, cheerful, and a joy

They will stand by you until the end

They are people you will always enjoy.

_(Enjoy? Enjoy! Forget is more like it.)_

The best of friends was she

With Rowena Ravenclaw

Her wit was sharp and her eyes were bright.

Her mental exercises left one in awe.

_(Probably ugly as sin too. Hunched from reading all the time, glasses for near-sightedness, no hygene, bushy hair... A real witch.)_

Those who belong in her house

Are clever, wise, and bright.

Their thirst for knowledge

Will guide them to the greatest height.

_(To the nearest Library more likely.)_

Firm friends were they with Salazaar

Whose tongue was sharp but his mind was pure

All the best for the wizard race

Was what he tried to ensure.

_(Friends? Never. The hat is definitely batty.)_

For his house he tries to find

Those who know best what's in their minds

They will help each other to achieve their goals.

In his house, it is ambition and drive that binds.

_(Bloody right!)_

Finally came the boisterous Godric,

The Gryffindor with his ready laugh,

Itching to fight and do what's right

He would always battle on your behalf.

_(Sounds like a bloody idiot to me.)_

For his house you need to be brave

And willing to defend the lot

Boldness is what this house craves

And their names are always on the list of those who fought.

_(Attention hogs, the lot of them and the bloody darlings of the school.)_

So you see each House is separate

But together they are strong

The goal of the Houses is to provide

A place where every wizard can belong

And friends that are lifelong.

_(Bloody Hell Hat, how saccharine can you get? Thank Merlin that's over!)_

After having his little fun, albeit only with himself, Draco sighed and shifted. Here was his least favorite part of the evening, watching the firsties be sorted. It was a long tedious affair and this year he couldn't even cheer for those sorted in Slytherin, not that he usually cheered. The most he ever did deign the new firstie is a superior smile and a knowing look that usually made him cower. By the time the firsties sat down at the Slytherin table, they all knew who Draco Malfoy was and had heard of the terrors waiting for them when they returned to the Common Room. Every Slytherin first year had to go through an induction process sometime during the year. It had to be invisible to the school but visible in the Slytherin dorms. Really, they weren't as bad as it was made out to be, but tormenting firsties was such fun! Even Draco had to go through induction. For a week his robes were charmed so that they were invisible in the Common Room and every piece of clothing except his boxers was hidden. Draco spent more time picking out his underwear that week than any other piece of clothing. Draco smiled at the memory and then caught himself. The entire school could see him. It was not proper to show any form emotion. How many times had his father told him that smiling created bonds with unwanted individuals? Too many to count. He quickly glanced around the hall to see if anyone noticed and met a pair of brown eyes and quirked eyebrows. _"That's the second time tonight the Weaselette has raised an eyebrow in my direction. What is she about?"_ wondered Draco. In response to her silent and amused inquiry, Draco scowled at her. She just smirked in return. For the second time that summer, Draco was surprised. He was enraged when she turned away to eat her food, effectively dismissing him from her speculation. _"No one dismisses a Malfoy, who does she think she is?"_ He turned his face to his plate, stabbed his meat, and refused to look up the rest of the meal.


End file.
